


Knock Knock, Love

by afleetoffoxes



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Canonical Character Death, Gamma is Adorable, Knock-Knock Jokes, Mindfuck, Other, Wyoming is a Softie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-15
Updated: 2017-06-15
Packaged: 2018-11-14 09:15:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,857
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11204961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afleetoffoxes/pseuds/afleetoffoxes
Summary: The AI's knock-knock jokes were contagious. Gamma - Reginald had the name seared into the back of his mind - was absolutely relentless in his telling of jokes and the Freelancer was surprised to realize that he didn't mind them.He actuallylikedthem.- - - -Wyoming is pretty sure he's going soft for his AI but theydomake a damn good team.





	Knock Knock, Love

**Author's Note:**

> For [Les](http://loyle-trash.tumblr.com). My favorite Boi.

As Reginald floated in the zero gravity of the implantation process, he wondered exactly what sort of AI he’d be getting. York had Delta, a chap with the driest personality he’d ever seen and Reginald didn’t think he’d be able to handle something that woefully serious in his head. North had Theta and he was far too much like a child for Reginald’s taste. Then there was Sigma, a curious AI that… really, he just gave the Freelancer the shivers, if he were honest. All of these AI were… strange and so very different from one another and he couldn’t imagine who they’d pair up with someone like _him_.

He didn’t have to wonder long as he felt the sting of the chip being implanted into the base of his head. For a long time, it was quiet and he didn’t feel another presence - didn’t hear _anything_. No voice flooding his mind, no AI at all.

He thought maybe the doctors had messed something up, that they’d broken his AI and Reginald felt a hot brand of irritation. But with that came something else. Something moved in the back of his mind, something that felt fuzzy and hissing like static. It felt so foreign that sharp panic flared up in him. The static stilled, quieted, and almost died off, like Reginald’s own fear had scared it away.

He hadn’t heard much from the others about the implantation process but he had heard that it felt strange at first. But this… he hadn’t known it would be like this. This was too quiet.

As the strange presence settled, the panic subsided and but the nervousness was still there. It still burning fiercely around the hundreds of questions floating through his mind.

What was it doing? Why wouldn't it talk to him like the other AIs talked to their hosts? Why did it feel staticky? Was it broken? Did it not like him?

This last thought was accompanied by a swift kick of embarrassment before he squashed it down. Why should he care whether or not the AI liked him or not? His teammates were all soft and caring, of course their AIs would like them.

But he was Agent Wyoming; he was a Freelancer, the _4th highest ranking_ Freelancer - would be higher if it wasn't for dear Tex. The point was: he was Project Freelancer's ruthless agent who did as he pleased and got away with it; what did he need of an AI other than its assistance in running equipment?

Nothing.

The static got louder in the back of his mind like it was trying to say something. No voice came out but suddenly there were thoughts pressing into his mind - thoughts that were distinctly _not his_. These thoughts weren't so much words as they were feelings.

Slight disorientation. Waiting and patience. Safety. Warmth. Something that felt oddly like... fondness.

It- it liked him? Clearly it was damaged. But it was... it was waiting for something. For what? What would a bloody AI wait for?

Reginald pushed at the edges of his mind, pushed against the static in the farthest corners. The static cleared slowly, letting him see what lay behind it.

It was a figure of blue, glowing mutely as it waited with a blank face. It cocked its head jerkily at Reginald’s presence and the Freelancer prodded at it again in thoughtless questioning.

_KNOCK KNOCK_.

He froze. The voice was strange and foreign despite having come from inside his own head. It was oddly robotic, computerized, and it tickled at the back of his head like nothing else he'd ever felt. The figure in his mind hadn't moved, its mouth still closed and its head still cocked but Reginald was sure he'd heard a voice.

_KNOCK KNOCK_.

_What?_

_NO. YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SAY “WHO IS THERE.”_

_..._

_Who's there?_

_THEODORE._

That was odd. Weren't all of the AIs supposed to be named after the Greek alphabet?

_NOW YOU SAY “THEODORE WHO.”_

_... Theodore who?_

_THEODORE WAS NOT OPEN SO I KNOCKED._

The computerized voice carried no emotion but for some reason, he felt like it was happy - no, _pleased_ with itself - and when Reginald let out a sharp, startled laugh the feeling intensified. Heavy relief settled over the Freelancer as he realized that the AI was waiting for him to make the first move and that this had been its icebreaker.

Maybe this AI thing wouldn't be so terrible.

_KNOCK KNOCK._

_Who's there?_

_A BROKEN PENCIL._

_A broken pencil who?_

_NEVER MIND - IT IS POINTLESS._

Maybe not.

_YOU SHOULD RETURN TO CONSCIOUSNESS SOON,_ the AI thought. _YOUR COMPANIONS ARE WAITING FOR YOU._

The realization was jarring. He didn't remember having been put under - didn't realize that he'd been in his own head the entire time - but when the AI pointed it out, Reginald was thrown back into the conscious world.

Suddenly, he was aware of voices around him - voices that were not a strangely soothing computer voice - and when he forced his eyes open, he blinked at the dim lights of the recovery unit. A blue helmet slid into view and Reginald could almost feel the smile coming from his partner.

"Hey! There he is!"

\- - - - -

The AI's knock-knock jokes were contagious. Gamma - Reginald had the name seared into the back of his mind - was absolutely relentless in his telling of jokes and the Freelancer was surprised to realize that he didn't mind them.

He actually _liked_ them.

He'd even picked up a few of his own to tell the other Freelancers, if only to laugh about their annoyed groans with his AI later.

The only one who enjoyed them as much as Wyoming was Florida and Gamma delighted in sharing all of his most absurd ones with him. His AI had a seemingly unlimited supply - probably because he was an _AI_ , he thought.

Apparently, he was chosen specifically for Gamma - suited best for Gamma’s particular needs, they’d said.

Sure, he figured he could see that.

So to say Reginald adjusted well to having Gamma in his head was grossly under exaggerating it. The two had clicked like puzzle pieces after implantation despite the former’s initial concerns and they worked together smoothly. The Counselor had even told them that they were the quickest pair to bond, something that made the agent swell with self-satisfaction - anything that gave him an edge over the others was good to him.

When they fitted him with a temporal distortion unit, Gamma flourished under the challenge of running it. He was efficient and well-tuned with Reginald’s thoughts and movements and could activate it before he even needed to be told.

They were no Texas or Carolina but they were a formidable pair, to be certain.

He didn't know how or when but Reginald realized that he'd begun to feel something that he'd only ever felt with Butch - a sense of camaraderie. Except... it was _more_ than that. With Florida, he and Wyoming were partners. They worked well together on missions and they enjoyed each other's company but it was nothing compared to his relationship with his AI.

Although Reginald was aware of Gamma's separate identity, it felt like they were _one_. They moved so fluidly and they were so certain of what they were both capable of that they didn't need to question it. They trusted each other implicitly. Maybe it was like that for the others and their AIs too but this connection felt so strong.

It was a feeling that Reginald had come to thirst for and he never wanted to let it go.

\- - - - -

When the Counselor returned Gamma to him, Reginald didn't question what had happened; he didn't need to. He knew that the Director used his AI to perform certain tests and he knew that some of them were of the objectionable sort but they were of no concern to him. If the Director wanted to dabble in the darker side of things, well, that wasn't Wyoming’s pay grade and Gamma didn't seem to mind, so the agent turned a blind eye.

As the AI settled back into his mind, he prodded around to see what his host had done in his absence. Reginald told him about the drills he'd run and that he'd eaten dinner with Florida and some of the other Freelancers. He showed him memories of the times he'd set - woefully slower than his previous without his AI to watch his back - and he showed him the comical meltdown Washington had had about something York had said.

He didn't ask about what Gamma had been doing - he didn't want to know what the Director was using him for. Because if he'd asked, Gamma would have told him.

Reginald had learned pretty early on that Gamma had a penchant for lying. He lied to York to get him to eat some experimental alien food from R&D, he lied to CT about her training scores, he lied to the Counselor about talking to other AI, and Reginald had lost count of how many times his AI had lied to Wash - _SIXTY-SEVEN_ , a computerized thought supplied helpfully. So, yes, his AI was a deceiver.

Yet he'd never once turned that deceit on his host. It was just one of those things that came along with the connection between them.

Still, Reginald couldn't help but feel a certain pleasure every time Gamma told someone a lie.

Maybe he was growing soft.

\- - - - -

No, he was definitely going soft.

It became abundantly clear as Reginald was lying in his bunk, wide awake when he really should have been getting his much deserved shuteye. But while he was more than comfortable with his AI’s presence these days, he wasn’t used to the old buzzing back from the first few hours after implantation. Gamma was by no means an anxious AI - not like Delta, who over-analyzed everything, and not like Sigma, who seemed too focused on the other AI, and _definitely_ not like Theta - so he was a little thrown by the sudden onslaught of nervous energy rolling through his head.

Reginald didn’t push to see what was bothering him - Gamma would tell him if he wanted to - but he did prod the edges of where his AI had settled in his mind.

_YOU SHOULD BE SLEEPING_. The computerized voice came from inside his own mind, something Reginald had gotten used to - Gamma tended to prefer speaking to his agent using their link and only projected himself onto armor when he needed to speak to another human. But the AI sounded off, oddly weary as he lightly scolded his host.

“I would if you’d rest. You’re making an awful racket in my head. Something on your mind, mate?” he asked, his gruff voice even more so with exhaustion.

_NOTHING THAT REQUIRES YOUR CONCERN_.

“Is that a lie I hear, Gamma?”

_NO. IT IS UNIMPORTANT TO ANYONE BUT MYSELF_.

“Well, if I let something happen to you, the Director and his little stooges will have my helmet. I think that makes it important to me, mate.”

The AI fell silent and an unfamiliar worry lanced through him. The two lay in the dark and, though it was quiet, all was not resolved. The back of Reginald’s head was still fuzzy with static so obviously Gamma had not settled. There was no way he’d be able to sleep with Gamma making such a fuss. He was going to have to relax his AI somehow but… it wasn’t like he was the most caring of Freelancers.

Well. There was one thing he was good at.

“Knock knock.”

There was a mental shift within their shared mind, almost like a sigh.

_WHO IS THERE?_

“Cows go.”

Reginald could feel Gamma’s anticipation and it occurred to him that his AI could surely see the joke forming in his head. And yet… he urged his host on.

_COWS GO WHO?_

“No, mate. Cows go _moo_ ,” the Freelancer finished with a cheeky grin.

For a short moment, everything was quiet and then Gamma gave a quiet, broken laugh in his computerized voice. The fog of his AI began to dissipate slowly and Reginald could feel the relief coming off of the entity in waves.

_WYOMING-_

“You know, I’d say we know each other well enough that you can call me by my name. Wouldn’t you agree, ol’ bean?”

Gamma didn’t answer for a long moment but Reginald could feel his hesitation. _YOU ARE NOT PERMITTED TO USE YOUR CIVILIAN NAME TO REFER TO YOURSELF NOR IS ANOTHER PERMITTED TO REFER TO YOU BY YOUR CIVILIAN NAME_.

Reginald hummed to himself, shifting his arms under his head to get more comfortable. “And here I thought you liked to lie. Afraid you’ll bugger it up, are you?”

_YOU ARE ATTEMPTING TO IRRITATE ME? YOU CANNOT DECEIVE A DECEIVER, WYOMING_. His AI sounded more than a little amused and Reginald grinned.

“I haven’t the foggiest idea what you’re on about, mate.”

The silence that fell over them was contemplative and Reginald waited for his AI to finish his thought.

_REGINALD. REGGIE. I BELIEVE I LIKE THAT_.

“Haven’t let someone call me Reggie in a long time, you know. I guess I can make an exception for you though.”

Gamma made a quiet buzzing noise - not like the static, no, that had faded away with Reginald’s distraction. It sounded almost like… a hum.

_REGGIE?_

“Yes, Gamma?”

_WOULD YOU TELL ANOTHER ONE?_

Reginald gave a quiet chuckle. “I suppose I could. Knock-”

_REGGIE?_ the AI interrupted.

“Yes, Gamma?” he asked, amused by the flare of urgency in his AI’s thoughts.

_WOULD YOU USE THE NEURAL LINK?_

Reginald could feel the slight hesitation behind the words but he also felt hope and something else he wasn’t quite sure of. He knew that Gamma enjoyed communicating through their shared mind but this felt much stronger than that. What a curious AI he had.

_How’s this then, love?_

_SATISFACTORY. ANOTHER?_ Gamma pressed, sounding all too pleased.

The Freelancer smiled and closed his eyes, settling into their shared consciousness where the glowing AI waited. _Knock knock._

\- - - - -

_Do hurry along, would you? We’ve got to report in early for training._ Reginald huffed loudly, craning his neck as a shiver ran down his spine. He was busy tugging on his dick, groaning at the feeling of his own hand as Gamma stimulated different nerves that sent waves of pleasure over the Freelancer’s body.

_YOU DO NOT CARE._ Gamma’s voice was the same as always, jerky and robotic and definitely not soothing - alright, maybe just a tad bit - but Reginald had never heard his AI sound quite so _smug_.

Gamma was, of course, correct. Reginald didn’t care so long as he _didn’t stop_ whatever it was he was doing that made everything feel so bloody hot. He could feel the AI’s watchfulness inside their mind, floating unobtrusively off to the side even though Reginald’s thoughts were dominated by him.

He’d heard about the mindscape from the Counselor after their first meeting, heard that he and his AI could meet there along the pathways of their neural link. But while some of the other Freelancers seemed to use this method of communication, Gamma avoided it. He preferred their conversations to take place along their link but Reginald could feel the AI’s frustration with the mindscape. It wasn’t real, wasn’t tangible, and Gamma liked things to be _solid_ , like hardware. He preferred to be physically connected to Reginald’s mind, tapped directly into his thoughts and his nervous system rather than floating along their imaginary plane of existence. It was also the reason they hadn’t opted to build up walls between their minds, something else that most of the other Freelancers seemed to have done. They didn’t need a barrier to separate their thoughts, didn’t need the privacy or the quiet. It was preferable to them this way and it was probably why their neural link was so strong, as the Counselor liked to point out.

Once Reginald thought about it, he figured it had been only a matter of time before Gamma would want to try toying with his nerves. The Freelancer just hadn’t realized how _good_ it would feel and when he did, well, it sort of devolved from there.

Gamma tweaked something, sending a rush of pleasure down Reginald’s spine and it forced a sharp moan from his mouth, effectively drawing the man out of his musings.

_I COULD STOP IF YOU ARE FEELING DISTRACTED._ Gamma teased, sounding so human that, if not for the jerky, computerized voice, Reginald would think he were one.

_If you do, I’ll sing those godawful pub songs you hate._ The AI gave a broken laugh and a hot sensation shot through his cock. Reginald’s eyes squeezed tight and he moved his hand faster, trying for release. _Don’t bugger around all day. Get on with it, love._

He felt Gamma give a twitchy, mental nod and suddenly his body was alight with sensation. Burning pleasure coursed through his veins and Reginald spent himself with a broken sob, littering his hand and chest with his release. The sensations dulled but didn’t stop, waiting for him to ride out the wave until he was shuddering and panting on his bunk.

Gamma waited, checking his host’s vitals to ensure he hadn’t done something wrong. Reginald waved away his concern, trying to convey to the program exactly how good he’d actually done. Pride bloomed inside the AI and floated along their neural pathways until Reginald was drunk on the feeling.

_Yes, love. So very good,_ he assured his AI.

_GOOD. YES. GOOD. SHALL WE REST NOW?_ He asked, settling down into his space at the back of the Freelancer’s mind.

_Yes, rest. I need you in keen shape for tomorrow. Rest well._

They laid together for a while, just drifting around each other, dipping in and out of the mindscape as Reginald started to dream. Gamma stayed online for a while and watched - watched his host alter the mindscape as he pleased before, finally, he too decided to rest.

\- - - - -

_ALLISON. ALLISON. ALLISON ALLISON ALLISON. ALLISON._

The screaming was too much, there was just _too bloody much_. He could feel Gamma writhing, bursting forth from the back of his mind where he usually stayed only to completely _dominate_ Reginald’s mind with his pain. It was like fingernails clawing along the insides of his head, trying to leave him a shredded, aching shell.

Reginald’s knees weakened as he grasped at his helmet and he doubled over against the searing pain. _Gamma! Gamma, snap out of it! Gamma, what is_ wrong _!?_ he called over and over but his AI seemed beyond hearing him.

The Freelancer growled, clawed at his helmet and threw it aside. The volume of the screaming voice in his head lessened greatly and Reginald felt like he could breathe. Gamma was still writhing, still muttering quietly and echoing around his head but he was beginning to come back to himself.

It wasn’t until hours later, when the pair returned to Reginald’s bunk so that he could change for dinner, that he questioned his AI.

“What the devil happened back there?”

_REGGIE-_

“I’m serious, Gamma. What. _Happened_. You were in _agony_ ,” Reginald pressed, seating himself on his bunk to wait.

_I AM UNCERTAIN._ The AI sounded hesitant and Reginald growled.

“Don’t lie to me. You _never_ lie to me.”

_AND I DO NOT LIE TO YOU NOW. I DO NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT IT WAS THAT HAPPENED, REGGIE._ Reginald’s shoulders slumped and he let out a deep breath through his nose. _YOU ARE NOT ANGRY. YOU ARE... WORRIED?_

Reginald didn’t respond, instead he inclined his head to the rest of the room. “Do you think you could come out here for a bit?”

Gamma gave a mental nod of affirmation and passed through Reginald’s neural implant into the specialized holopad that was provided for the AI whenever their agent had removed their armor. A moment later and his glowing, blue hologram was suspended over the pad and watching his host expectantly.

Reginald gingerly scooped up the holopad and held the projection close. Sometimes it was just nice to be able to look at his AI, to see that he was really there and not just an entity in the back of the man’s head. Gamma waited patiently while his host inspected him and Reginald could feel his question poking at the back of his head where his implant was connected.

“Yes. I’m worried,” the man answered, his mouth pulling down into a frown.

“I AM ABLE TO DEVOTE SUBROUTINES TO FINDING A SOLUTION IF THAT WOULD RELIEVE YOUR CONCERN,” Gamma suggested with a jerky head tilt.

“No. You weren’t the only one affected by it. If there is a problem with the AIs, the Director will find it.” He didn’t know if he was right or not but the white lie eased some of his own worries. “But… You let me know if anything else gets mucked up, you hear?”

“I WILL.” Gamma fell quiet for a short moment and his projection twitched from one spot to the next. It occurred to the Freelancer that his AI was, in a way, shuffling his “feet”. “REGGIE? AM I PERMITTED TO RETURN TO YOUR IMPLANT?”

His mouth pulled up at the edges and Reginald let out a quiet chuckle. “Of course, love. Come along. We’ll go ruin York’s dinner.”

The AI gave a pleased, buzzing hum and disappeared back to Reginald’s mind, settling in comfortably.

\- - - - -

_You really are supposed to be a better liar than this. I’ll never get York to stop calling me ‘Reggie’, you know,_ Reginald scolded lightly as they entered the locker room, more amused than actually angry at his AI.

_AN ACCIDENT, I CAN ASSURE YOU._ The program sounded equally amused, humming quietly in the back of the Freelancer’s mind.

_That’s a lie if I’ve ever-_ He was cut off sharply as something heavy rammed into his back, knocking Reginald into the lockers. Pain lanced through his head where it was struck and he lay on the floor of the room, disoriented. It was an even stranger feeling because Gamma was flickering in and out of his mind and Reginald struggled to realize that he must have been muddled from the hit as well.

_AL- ARM- REG- REGGIE?_

He had to move. Gamma’s alarm was ringing through his head, telling him to leave, to get out. The Freelancer scrambled to his feet, teetering as he fled. Hand-to-hand combat was not his forte and Reginald knew he would stand far less of a chance in his groggy state.

As he moved, he felt someone behind him, someone pursuing and he refused to look behind him for worry of slowing himself further. Fear shot down his spine as he felt a hand reach out, brushing against the skin of his neck and the edges of his implant. Were they after his AI? Could they be after Gamma?

Reginald took a sharp corner, nearly tripping as he shot through a doorway, slamming his palm on the door lock-pad to keep whoever the hell was after them _out_. He was breathing heavily, leaning against a computer console to try and get his bearings.

“Gamma?” he asked, his breathing ragged with exertion and fear. _Gamma, are you okay?_ he demanded again.

_I- I AM ATTEMPTING TO F-FIX OUR CONNECTION. THE HIT SEEMS TO HAVE D-DISRUPTED IT,_ the AI answered, his voice even more glitchy than normal.

_They- I believe they tried to get the implant. I think - Christ, mate - I think they’re after you._ His mind was racing. Who could have broken onto the _MOI_ in the middle of space? Who would want his AI? _Why_ would they want _his_ AI? What were they going to-

There was a loud clatter outside the door, the sound of someone trying to get in. They had to do something. What did he have for resources? He glanced down at the computer terminal he was leaning on. He’d been on his way to the locker room to retrieve his armor so he didn’t have his helmet and without it he couldn’t remove Gamma via an AI chip. But there had to be another way, there had-

_Gamma, eject._

The AI froze in alarm, almost seeming to disappear in his mind. And then, in his usual monotonous computer voice, _I AM UNABLE TO-_

_Gamma, don’t argue. Eject immediately. You can get out through the computer._

_I DO NOT HAVE THE CAPABILITIES TO LEAVE YOUR IMPLANT THROUGH ANYTHING BUT THE HOLOPAD-_

_Try,_ Reginald growled as there was another loud crash from outside. _You have to_ try, _dammit._

_I- EVEN IF I WAS ABLE TO- THE FORCED REMOVAL OF AN AI FROM THE HUMAN MIND COULD-_

_Gamma!_ The door groaned as the metal began to bend, trying to give way to the person on the other side. _Listen to me! You can’t be taken, do you hear me? You can’t. I will tear out the implant myself, love, so help me-_

_KNOCK KNOCK._

_Gamma!_

_YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO SAY “WHO IS THERE.”_

_Gamma, this isn’t-_

_OLIVE. NOW ASK “OLIVE WHO.”_

_Gamma, eject-_

_OLIVE YOU, REGGIE._

The door gave way with an angry groan but Reginald couldn’t hear anything past the sounds of his own screams. As Gamma tore himself from his mind, the man felt the ripping of their link burning his mind. It wasn’t like the rip of a bandaid or the sting of a bullet or even like the loss of a limb, no. This pain was like someone reaching in and clawing out a piece of him, a _vital_ piece. The agony of being broken and the angry throbbing in his brain like an open wound dragged him under, into the dark.

\- - - - -

Gamma was gone. He didn’t know where but there was no way he was aboard the _MOI_. If he was, he would have been _with Reginald_ , of that he was certain.

So no, the Freelancer was sure he wasn’t on the ship.

Or, the unhelpful part of his mind supplied, he hadn’t survived the jump. He refused to believe that. There was no way he could have survived the severing of their minds and not Gamma. No. Absolutely not.

Christ, he had to pull himself together.

Reginald was angry. He was confused. And above all, he was going to _kill_ Agent Texas.

When he’d come to in the medbay a few days after Gamma’s forced removal, he’d been surrounded by their - _his_ , he corrected viciously - friends and Washington on the next cot over. He was debriefed by some of the Director’s men and the Counselor not long after and they informed him of the camera footage they pulled up.

Agent Texas had - apparently - gotten more than a little AI greedy. She’d used a strength armor enhancement to get the jump on him and fled when she found him unconscious from Gamma’s removal.

He ground his teeth together whenever he just _thought_ about it. She’d attacked him, she’d endangered his AI, she’d caused him a lot of pain mentally and physically, and - worst of all, in his not so humble opinion - the loss of _his_ AI.

So, yes, somehow, someday, he was going to enjoy putting a bullet through her helmet.

That wasn’t going to happen if he remained with the Project.

\- - - - -

He’d only stumbled along the terminal because he was injured.

The former Freelancer had taken a job for some less than respectable gentlemen, hoped that he might hear something about a certain black-suited former Freelancer while he was with them. He hadn’t. Instead, for his trouble, he’d taken a few shots in his leg and he’d only managed to escape through the use of his temporal distortion unit - if you could call it “use”. It’d shorted out quickly and he’d had to make a hasty exit.

It so happened that he’d seen the facility in passing and he found it empty which, as far as he was concerned, made it a perfect place to rest his leg for a little while so he could fix the damn thing. With the bleeding stopped for a damn minute, Reginald could wander around the facility in search of extra ammo and equipment.

What he found was… a computer terminal of some kind.

It blinked to life as though it sensed his presence and Reginald inspected it wearily.

“HELLO.” The display showed the words helpfully while a jerky, computerized voice repeated the text.

“Yes, then. What might you be, ol’ chap?” Reginald asked, squinting at the terminal through his visor.

The computer was silent for a long moment and the bounty hunter wondered if it was broken. Then text flashed up on the screen.

“ARE YOU AGENT WYOMING OF PROJECT FREELANCER?”

“Former agent,” he answered lowly, grabbing his pistol and aiming it at the terminal - though what good it would do, even he didn’t know. “Sorry, do we know each other?”

There was another length beat and then: “REGGIE?”

Reginald felt like he’d had the wind knocked out of him as he gave a quiet answer. “Well, you’ve certainly been difficult to find,” he said with a quiet chuckle. He tugged the helmet off of his head, reaching up to rub absently at the back of his neck where the skin had grown over his neural implant. “Never thought I’d have to look in some backwater facility.”

“IT IS SAFE HERE. …YOU SURVIVED.” It wasn’t a question. Reginald tried to read the meaning behind it but it was hard to tell tone from the computerized voice when he didn’t share a direct link with the emotions behind it anymore.

“That I did, mate. Now then. Come along, back where you belong.” The AI remained silent as Reginald pulled the AI chip out of the back of his helmet. He inserted it into a slot in the terminal but the light stayed off, indicating that it was empty. “Is there a problem?”

“I AM PERMITTED TO RETURN TO YOUR IMPLANT?” the AI asked and, for the first time in years, Reginald could hear Gamma’s old hesitation. It made his throat feel thick and the corner of his mouth lift up.

“I should say so. I’ll need someone to watch my back and run my equipment. Think you can still do all that, love?” Reginald asked with a quirked eyebrow and a smirk for good measure. “We’ve got some payback to dish out.”

“I AM FULLY FUNCTIONAL,” Gamma replied and Reginald’s smile grew wider.

“Excellent. Well, I don’t have all day,” the man prompted, gesturing to the chip sitting in the terminal. A few moments later, the screen of the terminal dimmed while the chip’s light blinked a soft blue. Reginald removed it careful, letting it rest in the palm of his glove. He marvelled at the small chip that held someone so crucial to his being.

Soft. He was so _bloody_ soft.

He slid the chip into its port and secured the helmet back onto his head. His armor came alight with Gamma’s presence and the AI quickly followed the pathways from the suit into Reginald’s neural implant.

Gamma burst into his mind like a tidal wave, overwhelming him with the intensity of his thoughts and emotions after so long with only one mind. Reginald’s head was suddenly full of memories belonging to the AI, all of the significant moments from their years apart. He saw Gamma’s torn jump from his head into the _MOI_ ’s computers and how he’d triggered alarms in an attempt to save his host. He saw him moving from computer to computer until he found one that was transmitting somewhere off ship, Gamma settling into an old computer terminal in a forgotten facility. He saw the terminal interacting with various people that passed through until finally, _finally_ , a figure in white appeared.

“You’ve had a relaxing few years, haven’t you? Lots of brushing up on your knock-knock jokes, I see. Even got yourself a new name,” Reginald commented, his voice far thicker than he’d have liked.

_REGGIE?_ the AI asked, filling the man’s head with the jerky computer voice he’d missed. Gamma still sounded the same but now he could feel the emotions that came along with his speech - hope, eagerness, and something very warm.

_I know, love. I know. Neural link and all that,_ Reginald replied gruffly. He’d forgotten quite how intimate it was to have someone inside of his head - no, not someone, _Gamma_. He thought back to their time in the Project and wondered if the others had grown to care for their AIs as much as he had for Gamma. How could they not when you shared a mind, when you had such an intimate connection?

_How is it then?_ Reginald asked, basking in the glow of Gamma’s light unfurling in their shared head. _Comfortable?_

_IT IS ADEQUATE,_ Gamma told him but he seemed far too pleased to pull off smug. Reginald hummed and shifted his weight to his good leg. Of course, his AI seemed to notice this. He could feel Gamma sifting through his memories to find the cause of his discomfort. _YOU ARE INJURED. YOU WERE SHOT._

_I’ve already taken care of it, love. No need to fret._

_THE RAMP TO YOUR RIGHT. UPSTAIRS. THERE SHOULD STILL BE COTS,_ Gamma informed him, supplying him with a mental image.

Reginald nodded mentally and started shuffling along towards the ramp. While he moved, he could feel Gamma coiling up with excitement over something.

_REGGIE?_

_Yes?_ He asked, his mouth curving in amusement.

_KNOCK KNOCK._

_Who’s there?_

_DISHES._

Reginald gave a huffed a quiet laugh as he dragged his injured leg up the ramp. _Dishes who?_

_DISHES A NICE PLACE YOU HAVE HERE._

Reginald chucked, covering up the hiss of pain as he jarred his leg. He felt Gamma’s spike of worry but he tried to soothe his AI. _It might be a little worn down since you’ve been there._

Once again, Gamma looked to his memories, flipping through them like pages in a book. He seemed to give a small, jerky wince when he found the one he was looking for. _I HAVE CAUSED YOU MENTAL DAMAGE. THIS WAS WHY I HAD ADVISED AGAINST REMOVING ME WITHOUT THE PROPER-_

_Now now. None of that, love. Had to keep you safe,_ Reginald told him, his voice rough with pain as he tried to lower himself carefully onto the worn down cot. _You got away. That’s all that matters. Besides, you’re back where you belong._ He could feel Gamma’s reluctant but pleased humming in the back of his mind. _Now we can sort out a proper payback, what do you think?_

_YOU NEED TO REST AND ALLOW YOUR BODY TO HEAL FIRST,_ Gamma reminded him as Reginald laid himself out on the cot. It wasn’t comfortable but it would do for a nap. The man gave a quiet hum, shifting in his restlessness. These days, he didn’t often allow himself the luxury of rest and relaxation; you were far too likely to lose your head that way. _YOU MAY RELAX,_ his AI told him, probably having heard his insecurities. _I WILL REMAIN ON WATCH FOR YOU._

_Mmm, yes yes. Good show, love._ They drifted in companionable silence for a while, not speaking but instead enjoying the feel of each other in one space. It was nice to know that someone had his back once more but Reginald’s mind was still racing. _Gamma?_

_YES, REGGIE?_

_Be a sport and tell another one, would you?_

_KNOCK KNOCK._

_Who’s there?_

_YA._

_Ya who?_

_I AM EXCITED TO SEE YOU TOO, REGGIE,_ Gamma answered with his robotic laughter and Reginald joined him with his own chuckle.

Gamma was here - Gamma was _safe_ \- and, dammit, Reginald wasn’t going to lose him again.

\- - - - -

He had to wonder if maybe he was getting a little too old for this.

Even with Gamma turning back time over and over again, his body was beginning to feel sore, like it remembered being hurt. It’d never happened before but, to be fair, he’d never had Gamma loop them so many times. His AI was always quick with Reginald’s equipment and he’d gotten him out of more than a few tight spots - especially when Tex had knocked him out at the island fortress.

If that little blue bastard would just _die_ -

He was pulled back through another loop, the soreness from that last grenade covering his back.

Definitely too old for this. After he killed every last one of the blue idiots and won the war, he and Gamma were going to retire somewhere, no matter what.

“Yeah, what do you want with my kid anyway?” Tucker demanded, pulling Reginald back into the conversation.

“You don’t… remember?”

“Remember? You never told me anything.” Finally. A stroke of luck.

“I THINK IT WORKED THAT TIME,” Gamma told him from the tank he’d taken over.

“Apparently. Keep your eye on him next time.” They didn’t need anymore trouble from these idiots. They needed to clean up their mess and get out of the damned canyon.

“The fuck are you guys talking about?” Church asked, looking between them. “Oh you know what, never mind. Keep talking. Waste time until Tex kills you.”

“Oh right, dear Tex,” Reginald chuckled, glancing to his right at the slightest shimmer of the invisibility enhancement. “You mean... her?” He lunged, knocking the black-suited Freelancer to the ground, delighting in her hiss of pain - he’d never get tired of that. “Oh poor Tex,” he purred, standing over her prone form smugly. “Never could understand when she was-”

“Beaten!?”

The sear of the energy sword hit him and Reginald’s mind went blank. All in all, he figured he’d probably felt worse pain - that time they went after the Sarcophagus codes and he got riddled with bullets was dreadful. The energy sword wasn’t quite hot like he’d thought it would be - or maybe it was and he was too gone to notice - but it was much more tingly, like static-

_Static._

Static like Gamma - like when Gamma was afraid or nervous or anxious or any of the other negative emotions he shouldn’t have to feel.

He wondered for a confused moment, if maybe Gamma had returned without him knowing. That had to be what the staticky feeling was, right? Reginald pulled away from the aching in his chest, stumbling into the mindscape as it shuddered and blinked around him, fading around the edges.

_Gamma? Gamma, where are you?_ he called, looking for the soothing blue light of his AI, his partner, his world.

Only silence greeted him.

Gamma wasn’t there. Where was he? Where was his AI? He struggled to remember, tried to think past the stinging-

Gamma was in the tank and Reginald had been-

“Oh dear!” he gasped, surprised by the force with which he was thrown from the mindscape. His suit was beeping incessantly with warning, the puncture wounds throbbed, and oh, _there_ was the pain. The feeling was bright, unbelievably sharp and it pulsed through Reginald with every pump of his heart. The energy sword slid out of his chest like a hot knife through butter and his legs gave out under him as though the sick object of his demise had been the only thing keeping him alive.

“REGGIE?”

His name cut through the fog of pain and Reginald faced a whole other type of agony as his body crumpled to the ground. He’d already lost his AI once, he’d already experienced that heartache and loneliness and so had Gamma.

Was he to face it again?

His chest burned and he didn’t fool himself to believe it was from the wound. No, this was different. This was the realization that he was not losing Gamma... Gamma was losing him. His AI was - strangely enough - a very social entity and he liked to talk, liked to hear others talk as well. From what Gamma had told him, he craved the connection from their neural link the way that Reggie _didn’t_ need goddamn holes in his chest.

Who would take care of his AI when he was gone? Well, he supposed he would - or rather, one of his copies would if they survived.

That was good. Yes, good. Gamma wouldn’t be alone after he turned these idiots into a blue smear on the canyon floor.

And he would, yes, surely so. His AI was so clever - terribly clever, Reginald mused - and he’d figure out a way to fix all of this.

He wanted to tell Gamma that. Reginald wanted to tell him that things would be okay because he was _so bloody clever_. He wanted more time-

Funny enough, for having a temporal distortion unit, Reginald never had enough time. There was never. Enough. Time.

The earth shook with the drop of a tank shell, dragging a choked cough from the bounty hunter. Good, Gamma had gotten onto the killing. Gods, he loved that AI.

Why hadn’t he said it, he wondered as he let his eyes fall closed and the alarms in his armor grew muffled.

Dammit, he’d grown so soft.

He figured... maybe that wasn't such a bad thing.


End file.
